"Truth" is scarier than fiction Movies, posted by Tyler Hanley, online editor of Palo Alto Online, on Jun 6, 2006 at 10:13 am Tyler Hanley is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online
I caught the documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," about Al Gore and his ongoing crusade to raise awareness about the (horrifying) dangers of global warming. Although I've reviewed nearly 200 movies for the Palo Alto Weekly, it has been a long time since a film has left me feeling so frightened, so sad, and so furious all at once.
I attended the film with my father -- now 59 -- and we continued discussions about the picture throughout the afternoon. Although I'm single, I've met some wonderful women in my life and admit I'm getting ever closer to embracing the idea of family and breaking free of my long-appreciated "bachelorhood."
But what kind of world will my children grow up to see? What about my grandchildren? If the trend continues in our national government, and "priorities" such as banning same-sex marriage and launching questionable wars trump the planet's welfare, I'm convinced I shouldn't even have children because they'll be forced to grow up on an earth that's being torn apart, and they may not be able to survive.
The film made me want to change. To ride my bike more, use less electricity, and back leaders who value the planet that has provided us everything and asked nothing other than respect in return.
"An Inconvenient Truth" closes out with a photo taken of earth from space. The photo is taken from such a distance that the earth appears as little more than a blue dot -- a pixel surrounded by the vastness of outer space. Gore reminds us that all of the wars, all of the love, all of the feasts, all of the famine ... it happened here.
Posted by Andrew, a resident of the Old Palo Alto neighborhood, on Jun 8, 2006 at 1:02 pm
Thanks for the touching review. As the saying goes, we should think globally and act locally. I would propose that we continue to be strong activists of wise environmentally conscious/conservation measures in Palo Alto. Your and the Palo Alto Weekly's suggestions for ways to make an environmental difference for the community to further embrace are welcomed!
Posted by Carol Hubenthal, a resident of the University South neighborhood, on Jun 9, 2006 at 7:54 am
My husband and I saw this movie last night. It raised one question for me....has Palo Alto signed the Kyoto agreement? Apparently lots of American cities have. I propose we do that. I think it's great all the high school kids will see this but most of them already are well aware of global warming. How about our politicians? I wish this were required viewing for every council member, every state politician, every county supervisor, and the congress and white house. It's a powerful movie that everyone should see. Our survival on this planet is at stake.
Posted by curious, a resident of the Greenmeadow neighborhood, on Aug 8, 2010 at 4:17 pm
So, 4 years later, and hopefully 4 years more informed and wiser..
Has anyone who saw this movie tempered their view of it and "global warming"?
( sort of like the oil in the Gulf, global warming is pretty hard to find at this point)
I believe this movie will go down in history as the first brilliant marriage of a political and personal pocket-lining agenda with apocolyptic half science, artistically put together into a self-proclaimed documentary.
Millions of folks were fooled by it, and it darn near succeeded in its goal.
Michael Moore thought he was the master of this kind of deception, but he has been trumped.
Posted by heat wave, a resident of the College Terrace neighborhood, on Aug 8, 2010 at 4:31 pm
We should feel fortunate that California is not suffering from a heat wave this summer, like most of the rest of the northern hemisphere apparently is.
Posted by John, a resident of the College Terrace neighborhood, on Aug 8, 2010 at 5:42 pm
It is quite pleasant outside right now. You can bet the ranch that if we had a head wave on, we would have global warming alarmists with petitions standing in front of JJ&F scaring gullible people into signing their clipboards (and getting some "donations").
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I caught the documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," about Al Gore and his ongoing crusade to raise awareness about the (horrifying) dangers of global warming. Although I've reviewed nearly 200 movies for the Palo Alto Weekly, it has been a long time since a film has left me feeling so frightened, so sad, and so furious all at once. 
